The first three rows of one side of Judge Denny Chin’s 24th-floor courtroom were occupied by 15 victims.

Those who didn’t think the court should accept Madoff’s guilty plea were invited to speak directly to the judge. Three did.

George Nierenberg went to the podium and immediately confronted Madoff. “I don’t know if you had a chance to turn around and look at the victims,” he said directly to the disgraced former NASDAQ chairman.

The judge sternly ordered Nierenberg to address only the court – but not before the shamefaced financier turned to his right and looked sheepishly at the man he conned.

Nierenberg said that he didn’t believe Madoff acted alone and that he should be charged with conspiracy.

“Just to produce the reams of documents that were received and the elaborate data that went into them must have required an army of people to produce,” said Nierenberg.